The Manciple's Prologue
Folio 256v
3 of 4 folios
I wole as now excuse þe of þin tale
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For in good feiþ þi visage is ful pale
Thin eyen dasewen soþly as me þinkeþ
And wel I woot þi breþ ful soure stinkeþ
That scheweþ wel þou art nougħt wel disposed
Of me certeyn þou schalt nougħt ben y glosed
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Se how he goneth lo þis drunken wight
As þougħ he wolde vs swolwe anon rigħt
Hald clos þin mouþ man by þyn fader kyn
The deuyl of helle sette his foot þerin
This cursed breth wol infecte vs aƚƚ
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Fy stynkynge swyn fy foule mote þe faƚƚ
Takeþ heede sires of þis lusty man
Now sweete sire wole ȝe iuste at þe van
Therto me þenkeþ ȝe ben wel y schape
I trowe þat ȝe haue drunken wyn ape
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And þat is whan men pleye wiþ a straw /
And wiþ his speche þe Cooke wax al wraw
And on þe maunciple bygan he nodde faste
For lakke of speche and doun þe hors him caste
Wher as he lay til þat men him vp took
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This was a fayr Chiuacheef of a cook
Allas he ne hadde holde him by his ladel
And er þat he aȝein were in his sadel
Ther was a gret schowuyng boþe to and fro
To lifte him vp and mochil care and woo
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So vnweldy was þis sely pallede goste
And to þe maunciple þenne spak oure Oste
By cause þat drynke haþ dominacioū
Vpon þis man by my Sauacioū
I trowe he lewedly wolde telle his tale
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For were it wyn or olde or moysty ale
That he haþ drunke he spekeþ so in his nose /
And fneseþ faste and eek he haþ þe pose
He haþ also to don more þan ynough
To kepe him and his capel out of þe slougħ